Railway signal torpedo



Feb. 3, 1925. y y

E. A. SCHOOLEY' RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO Filed Aug. 6, 1924 /o /0 @a2-i f i s@ f l l LJ Witnesses. [mei/Liar.'

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iatented Feb. 3, 1925.

UNTTED STATES VEIDWAIR'ID A. SCHOOLEY, OF DORMONT, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO.

Application led August 6, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. SoHooLEr, a citizen of the United Stat-es, and resident of Do-rmont, in the count-y of Allegheny and State o-f Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signal Torpedoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention re-lates to railway torpedoes used on railways as audible signals and more particularly to torpedoes embodying an explosive charge, an enveloping casing of fibrous material and a ductile metal strip for detachably securing the torpedoes to the rails of a railway track.

The principle object of this invention is to provide a novel form of enveloping casing composed of fibrous material, such as heavy paper, said casing being so formed that the torpedo may be readily and quickly assembled by unskilled workmen and thus reduce the cost of production.

Another object is to provide a novel manner of mounting the ductile metal retaining strip in the torpedo.

A further object is to provide a torpedo having the novel construction, design, and combination of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings- Figure l is a plan of the main body portion of the torpedo casing.

Figure la is a plan of the reinforcing and closure member of the casing. v

Figure 1b is a plan of the clip carrying member of the casing.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional elevation through the completed torpedo.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a torpedo showing its appearance on a rail.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate my invention, the letter A designates the enclosing' fiber casing of the torpedo as a whole. The main body of the casing is formed from a flat piece of heavy paper or fiber board, cut Substantially Octagon shaped, so as to provide alternate long sides 2 and sho-rt sides 3, the long sides then being bent back on the blank so as to define a rectangle and to form retaining ap-s 4. The central or rectangular portion of the main body of the casing is depressed so as to provide a dome-shaped explosive retaining spa/ce 5, and a preformed car- Serial No. 730,444.

tridge or tablet 6 of explosive compound is mounted in the space 5. 1

After the explosive 6 is positioned in the space a closure 7 composed of a rectangular sheet of fiber is mount-ed under the explosive and secured to the main casing member by a quantity of waterproof cement. A second sheet of ber 8, similar in size and shape to the closure sheet 7, is mounted on the sheet 7 and secured in place by a quantity of waterproof cement.

The sheet 8 is provided with a pair of spaced slots 9 through which a retaining clip or strip of ductile metal 10 is threaded. The metal strip 10 has its ends projecting through the slots 9 and its central portionl 'l1 overlying the portion of the sheet between said slots. 0f course itl will be un derstood that the strip of metal 10 may be riveted or otherwise. secured to the sheet 8 if desired.

The sheet 8 is preferably positioned on the closure sheet 7 so that the portion 1l of the metal strip l() is between the sheets 7 and 8 and is thereby held against endwise movement by the cement between the sheets.

After the sheet 8 has been secured in position, the retaining flaps 4 are bent over the sheet 8 and secured in position by a quantity of waterproof cement and the parts are thus all bound firmly together, and the edges of the sheets 7 and 8 are protected.

During` the course of manufact-ure, and preferably before the assembling of the casing is started, the word Danger77 or other suitable warning 14 is printed on the top face of the casing. After the casing has been assembled it is then dipped in or otherwise covered with a transparent waterproof material which impregnati-es and forms a coating 15 on the casing so as to form a thoroughly waterproof article.

The flat bottom of the torpedo casing is preferably provided with a coating of sand or other abrasive material 16 to prevent the torpedo slipping alo-ng the rail to which it is attached in use. l

Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate the advantages of the above described form of torpedo. It is simple in construction, and can be assembled by cheap and unskilled labor, it is free of any metal fastenings or parts exceptthe soft ductile retaining strap, it is strong and du` rable, and it is absolutely waterproof.v

`members bent back along the edges thereof so,v as to extend slightly under said explosive Yreceiving portion, an explosion tablet in .said dome-shaped vreceiving portion, a substantially rectangular cover sheet mounted under said explosive and secured to said v main body portion, a second substantially rectangularsheet mounted on and secured to said first named sheet, a ductile metal retaining strip ysecured to said second named sheet, and said flaps being bent over and secured to said sheets by a waterproof cement.

:2., A fiber case railway torpedo comprising an enclosing case, the main body portion of which is formed from one piece ot material and comprises a dome-shaped explosive receiving port-ion and narrow flap members bent back along ,the edges thereof so as .to extend slightly under said explosive receiving'portion', an explosion tabletin said dome-shaped receiving portion,a substantially rectangular cover sheet mounted under said explosive and secured to said main body portion, a second substantially rectangular sheet mounted on and secured to said `first named sheet, .a ductile metal retaining strip'secured to said second named sheet, said flaps being bent over and secured to said sheets yby a waterproof cement7 Aand said entire case being coated with transparent waterproof coating aft-er it is assembled so as to permit the reading of printed matter placed on the case prior to the coating thereoff Y n 3. A fiber case railway torpedo comprising an enclosing case, the main body portion of which is formed from a substantially octagon shaped blank having its center depressed to form a dome-shaped explosive receivingv space and having its edges bent back tol form narrow flaps-adapted to exitend slightly over said explosive space, a substantially rectangular cover sheet mounted over said explosive space and secured to Lsaid main body portioinj a Ysecond substanand secured-thereto'by a waterproof cement, v

and an explosive tablet mounted in said explosive space. Y Y

4l. A fiber case railway torpedo comprisinglanenclosing case, the main body portion of which is formed from a. substantially octagon shaped blank having its center depressed to form a dome-shaped explosive receiving space and having its edges'bent back to form narrowfiaps adapted to extend slightly over said explosive space, a substantially rectangular cover sheet mounted over said explosive spaceI and secured to'said main body portion, a lsecond substantially rectangular 'sheet mounted over and secured to said first named sheet and having a ductilevmetalretaining strip secured thereto, said flaps being bent over said sheets and secured thereto by a waterproof cement, and the entire case being coated with a transparent waterproof coating atte-r it is assembled so as to permit the reading of printed matter placed onv the case prior to the coating thereof.

5. A fiber case railway torpedo comprising an enclosing case, the main body portion of which is formed from a substantially octagon shaped blank having its center depressed to form a dome-shaped explosive receiving space and having itsedges bent back `to form narrow flaps adapted to extend slightly over said explosive space., a substantially rectangular cover sheet mounted over said explosive space and secured to said main body portion, 'a second substantially rectangular sheet mounted over and secured to said iirst named sheet and having a ductile metal retaining strip secured thereto, said iiaps being bent over said sheets and secured thereto vby a waterproof cement, the entire case being coated with a transparentwaterproof coating after it is assembled so as permit the readingot printed matter placed on the case prior to the coating thereof, and at least one face of said casing being provided with a coating of abrasive material tov prevent slipping of the torpedo on the rail to which is is attached, i

in testimony whereof' l have hereunto sel;

my hand.

EDNARD A. SCHOOLEY. 

